diff --git a/drivers/gpib/ni_usb/ni_usb_gpib.c b/drivers/gpib/ni_usb/ni_usb_gpib.c
index 1f8412de9fa3..fdcaa6c00bfe 100644
--- a/drivers/gpib/ni_usb/ni_usb_gpib.c
+++ b/drivers/gpib/ni_usb/ni_usb_gpib.c
@@ -566,7 +566,7 @@ static int ni_usb_write_registers(struct ni_usb_priv *ni_priv,
 			retval, bytes_read);
 		ni_usb_dump_raw_block(in_data, bytes_read);
 		kfree(in_data);
-		return retval;
+		return retval ?: -EINVAL;
 	}
 
 	mutex_unlock(&ni_priv->addressed_transfer_lock);